Improved submarine port-hole



nipper-hooks.

UNITED STATES T. F. GILLILAND, on

,PATENT OFFICE.

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVED SUBMARINE PORT-HOLE.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 42,93S, dated May 3 1, 1864,

To all whom, t may concern.

Be it known that I, T. F. GILLILAND, of the city of Chicago, in the county of (look and State of Illinois, have invented a new and Improved Method of Constructing Submerged Port-Holes for Vessels of NVar; and I .do hereby declare the following' is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, referenze being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a vertical longitudinal section of the prow of a vessel having my invention attached. Fig. 2 is a similar section'of the front end of my device enlarged. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the portshutter. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of the clamping-rod, eX- hibiting the attachment and operation of the Fig. 5 is a vertical cross section of the nipper-hooks on line a: x of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a vertical cross-section ofthe clamping-rod at its inner or rear end. Fig. 7 exhibits the ends of the nipper-hooks, showing how they shut past each other. Fig. eX hibits a proposed meihod of closing the inner orifice of the port.

The nature of my invention consists in an improved method or device by which ordnance may be discharged below the water-level, for the purpose of attacking an iron-clad or other vessel at a point below the water-level and below the line of her plating.

That others may understand the const-ruction and operation of my invention, l will particularly describe it.

A is the hull of the vessel, the watenlevel being indicated in Fig. l.

B is a heavy cast-metal tube of dimensions suitable to fulfill the conditions of the description hereinafter given.

O is a port shutter covering the outer orifice of the tube B.

D is a gate closing the inner orifice of the same.

E is one of the guides or ways in which the gate D moves.

F is a clamping-rod by which the lower edge oi the shutter C is drawn rmly against the mouth of the outer orifice of B.

G G are nipper-hooks, which clasp the lower edge of G when it is to be drawn back against the mouth of B.

H is the rod by which the nipper-hooks are operated.

g g are flanges running lengthwise upon the edges of the hooks G, over which the ends of the clasps h h are turned, as seen in Fig. 5, for the purpose of drawing the hooks together when the clasps are pushed forward by the rod H, to the end of which they are attached.

I is a block also attached to the end of the rod H, and serves to open the hooks G as it is drawn back between them, as seen in Fig. 4.

is a nut on the rear end of the rod F, by which said rod is caused to slide forward or backward.

with the hooks c e, which enter proper cavities in the upper side of B and retain that end of C in position. The sliding bar d, rockshaft e, and rod f exhibit a proposed mode of increasing the pressure of the upper end of C against the mouth of B.

In the edge of the lower part of the frame of Gis a hole, k, through which the nippers center of the shutter (l is an orice equal in size to the outer orice of B. This opening is closed with a plate, l, of some strong yet brittle materialsay of glass-for a purpose as hereinafter specitied. lhe back of the shutter C is covered with a layer of some elastic water-proof substance-as india-rubberfor the purpose of rendering the joint between the said shutter and the tube B perfectly water-tight. The shutter C is putin place or removed by means ofthe rods J through the channel K.

L is a device by which the gun may be fired by the act of coming in contact with another vessel, though its use may be dispensed with and the gun discharged by any of the ordinary means.

Having enumerated and described the various parts by which my invention is illustrated, I will now describe their operation.

My invention may be applied to the side or prow of a vessel and in a position sufliciently far below the level of the water to be below the line of an enemys armor-plating.

Fig. 1 represents the invention attached to the prow of a vessel which has a projecting beak or ram. The gate D being down and so adjusted as to close perfectly the inner -o1i tice of B, the shutter O is slid down. through the channel K by means of the rods J, which may .be jointed, ii' it is found desirable to have The upper end of the shutter C is provided hook, as seen in Figs. 2 and 3. Through the them so, and should then be provided with a device at each joint by which they may be rendered rigid as they are straightened. The hooks c enter their appropriate cavities, which arrest its downward progress and causes it to swing across the orifice at the front of B. If necessary, the clamping-rod F is advanced by turning the nut i, and the hooks of the nippers G are closed through the hole k by advancing the clasps /L by means ofthe rod H. The clamping-rod F is withdrawn by reversing the motion of the nut i, and the lower end of the shutter C is pressed closely against the outer end of B, so as to compress the elastic packing m to any degree necessary to render the joint perfectly tight. It' from any cause the hooks c do not cause the packing at the 1 pper end of C to be sufficiently compressed, the pressure there may be increased, as desired, by any suitable device, as shown by d, e, and j'. It will be seen that it cannot be a difficult matter to place the shutter in position at any time, as the hooks c cannot fail to enter their cavities, and considerable force may be exerted by pushing downward with the rods J to force the shutter against the outer end of B, so that there can be no difficulty in catching it with the nippers G.

The place through which the various clamp ing-rods pass may be rendered perfectly tight by the use of ordinary vstuffing-boxes, the hooks G and their appendages being so con structcd that when closed together they will pass through a space large enough to accommodate the rod F. (See Fig. 5, in which the red circle represents the size of said rod.) The shutter O being in place and secured, a cock in the gate, which closes the inner oritice of the tube B,is opened to allow the water within the tube B to escape into the vessel, from whence it is expelled by the pumps. The gates closing the inner oriiice of B may now be opened, and at the proper time the gun is loaded and run forward, trained so as to point directly through the center ot' the brittle plate Z. The lock is set, the trigger L is connected, and the ship is ready for action.

Before engaging with an enemy the gunroom may be securely closed to prevent the smoke from the explosion from penetra-ting' to the interior of the vessel, and at the instant of contact with the side ofthe enemy the rod L is pushed in by the contact and the charge in the gun is exploded. The projectile, shattering tne brittle plate I, penetrates the side of the enemy at a point sure to prove destructive to her. Instantly upon the discharge the gate D is pushed down by suitable apparatus to prevent the intluX ot' water through the shattered plate l, the shutter C is removed and another one put in its place, and in a few minutes the ship is again ready for an en counter. The broken plate l is replaced bya sound one, and that shutter is again ready'for use.

ln addition to the sliding gate D, it is proposed to employ two swinging gates wlthin the tube B, as shown in Fig. 8, which will then be made in a proper shape to receive them. The influx of water will cause these gates to shut automatically, and will be much more convenient than the sliding` gate D.

.If my device is applied to the side of a vessel, the trigger L will be dispensed with, and it is obviously not necessary that it should be used at any time.

It may be remarked that at least many ot' the inconveniences of tiring cannon below the water-line are obviated by my invention perfectly. The gun is in no case submerged and the charge thereby liable toinjury. 1t' placed in the prow and the vessel used as a ram, the gun will be discharged at an instant when there can be but a slight lilm of water for it to pass through before reaching the side ot" the enemy, which will therefore receive the full force ofthe projectile. A few minutes only ot' time will be necessary to prepare for another encounter, and itl placed in a vessel properly built and designed for this purpose only, being very swift and sufficiently plated to resist the force of shot, it cannot be conceived how she should fail to destroy or drive away any fleet against which she might be sent. 1t will of course be necessary to employ appliances not described or shown in this specitication-such as blocks and tackles, Src.- to assist in handling the various parts, but which do not enter into or form necessary parts of my invention.

Having described myinvention, what l claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Pat.- ent, is-

1. In combination with a submerged porthole, a removable shutter to close the outer orifice of the same when constructed with a central plate to be shattered by the passing shot, and an elastic backing, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

2. In combination with a removable shutter to close the outer orifice of a submerged porthole, a channel'way, K, through which the said shutter may be passed to its place from above the water line, substantially as described.

3. In combination with the removable shutter which closes the outer orice of a submerged port-hole, the clampingrod F, the hooks G, rod H, hooks c, and rods J, being parts necessary to the proper management and security of the shutter C,constru'cted and operated substantially as described.

T. F. GILLILAND.

Witnesses:

LUorUs F. BoLFE, B. D. O. SMITH. 

